The Sorting of Clow Reed
by Laurus Nobilis
Summary: Once upon a time, Clow Reed himself had to put on the Sorting Hat.


**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.

**Author's Note:** Written for the LJ community crossovers100.

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**The Sorting of Clow Reed**

Clow had absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

He was going to be a good wizard – no, he already _was_ a good wizard. The best of his generation. The best of many generations, if half of what his family said about him was true.

But even if it wasn't, he still had no reason to worry. He had spent all of his life among the Lis, after all. He had started training almost as soon as he started walking. He was sure that he already knew more spells than all those boys and girls put together.

Except, of course, that they didn't do _that_ kind of magic here. What if they expected him to know the Western way already? What if he got things wrong? That would be terrible!

He wished things didn't have to be so complicated. And to think he had _wanted _to go to Hogwarts, at first. He had been curious about how they used magic in the West, if it was really that different from the Eastern way, if it was easier or more difficult or just something else entirely. It had sounded fascinating, back then. Now he thought it was pretty pointless. He already knew how to do things, so why did he need to spend all those months away from hims parents learning it all over again?

He knew it would be no use. It would be the same as in China, he was sure of it. The Lis had wanted him to be a Li just like them – and he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried, he simply _couldn't_. They didn't get too angry at him because he was powerful, and he did have talent; but things never came out quite as his teachers wanted. There was always something a bit off, some quirk in the spells and charms that only happened to him, and people just wouldn't understand that he wasn't doing it on purpose.

No one would want him to be just like a Li now, but it didn't matter, because they would want him to be just like a Reed. The teachers would know all about his _very bright_ and _very talented_ relatives. They'd expect him to be one more name in the trophy room, and they'd be disappointed in him and call him lazy when they discovered that he couldn't get Western magic to work quite right, either, even if Father had already tried to teach him a few things.

Father always smiled at him and said it was because he was too good for any of them. It was a silly idea, but it made him laugh and feel a little better. The problem was that now Father and Mother had stayed behind in Hogsmeade with everyone else's parents, and he wouldn't see them again at least until Easter, and he really needed to think of something else _right now_ –

"I wonder what we have to do."

He blinked, startled, and turned around. The voice he had just heard came from a blond boy who was standing beside him and looked very, very pale. Clow couldn't help wondering if he, too, looked as if he was about to faint any second.

"For the Sorting, that is," the other boy continued, in barely more than a whisper. "Do you know what will happen?"

"We have to put on a hat," Clow whispered back. He didn't realize what he was saying until he had already spoken, but the idea was relieving. That was it? At least the beginning wouldn't be that bad, then. His companion's cheeks regained a little colour.

"Really?" he asked. "Did your parents tell you?"

"No," said Clow, shrugging. It was an odd answer, he knew that, but he didn't feel like explaining. The boy didn't ask him about it, anyway.

"I'm Uric," he said, a bit more cheerful now. "What's your name?"

"Clow," he answered, but he couldn't say anything else. A teacher approached them, asking them to be silent, and proceeded to explain them about the House system.

It was a boring speech. Clow knew all about that, anyway; Father had told him about it many times. He wondered what House would he be in. Father had been a Ravenclaw, but he always said that all Houses were good in their own way and that Clow had a bit of all in him. He hadn't tried to guess where his son would end up, no matter how much he asked him to. And Clow was too inexperienced to try to See it; his visions still came and went whenever they wanted to, like it had happened a moment ago. It was really annoying. Someday, he promised himself, he would be able to look at anything he wanted to. But for now he was stuck with the wait.

At last the professor stopped talking and led them into the Great Hall itself. Clow had heard about the place many times, but it was still awe-inspiring to look at it for the first time. It was _huge_, and the charm that made the ceiling show the starry sky was wonderful. The only downside was that the place was crowded. He didn't like the idea of sitting in front of all those students and teachers wearing a hat that was too big for him, even if he knew that everyone else would look just as silly as him.

The Sorting Hat itself was lying on a stool in front of them. It looked old and battered, but Clow knew better than to let its appeareance fool him. There was an immense amount of power coming from it, so strong that he could sense it even in the middle of that mess of powers that was the Great Hall. The thought of putting it on his head and let it read his mind was a little off-putting, now that he could feel its incredible magic.

On the other hand, there was another thought now haunted him, something much worse. It made him so nervous that he didn't really pay attention when the Hat started singing, so horrified he was at his new discovery. He had just realized how staying at school would _feel_. Hundreds of students all living together, plus the professors, plus the ghosts and the other beings that stayed there... plus the magical atmosphere of the place itself. The idea alone was enough to give him a bit of a headache. He supposed he would get used to stay in the middle of so many different presences, but, for now, he'd rather not think about that at all. It gave him an unpleasant feeling; made him self-conscious. He wondered how much would his own presence stand out.

Because it _would_ stand out, he was sure of that. Not only because of the amount of his powers, which he had to admit was a rather large factor, but also because it wasn't very similar to everyone else's. The mixture of different magics was obvious for those with some experience, but even those children who had barely discovered their own magic would be able to tell that something was _off_. Suddenly he felt very lonely, even among all those people.

At least cats were allowed at Hogwarts. He was very glad that he had decided to bring his pet with him. He could easily picture Xiao Hei curled up on top of his trunk, waiting for him, and the image made him feel a little more comfortable.

Before he noticed it, the Hat stopped singing. Clow realized in horror that he had been so distracted that he'd missed what it said in its song. He wondered if it was important, and if the same had happened to other first years or if he was the only one silly enough not to listen. He had no way to know that, however, and for the moment all he could do was watch as the professor called them one by one.

Almost all boys and girls looked quite nervous as they walked towards the stool, sat down and put on the Hat. Sometimes it shouted a House's name immediately; sometimes it took a few moments, or even minutes. Clow hoped with all his might that it wouldn't take too long to Sort him.

It was bad enough to wait before going there. The Professor was going in alphabetical order, and it would be quite a while since the list reached the R... He tried very, very hard not to tap his foot or twist his sleeves. There was no point in being nervous, he reminded himself, all Houses were good. And what if the students stared at him when he was sitting there? It was the same for everyone, anyway, he wouldn't stand out any more than the rest of the first-years. He only wanted it to be over, soon.

"Reed, Clow!" the professor called at last.

There were only a few students left now. Clow took a deep breath, straightened himself up, and walked towards the stool. He never knew how he managed not to trip out of sheer nervousness on the way, but he arrived successfully and sat down. He took the Hat and put it on; it was a grown man's hat, too big for him, and slid until it covered his eyes.

"Interesting," he heard a little voice say, as if it was inside of his own head. "Your mind is quite full of spells already! Now, that is unusual. But there's always room for more, isn't there?"

_Please don't take too long_, Clow thought to himself, starting to feel very self-conscious again. He nearly jumped when he heard the Hat answering him.

"Why the hurry? That's no good. I have to choose properly," it said. "There's quite a lot in here, you know. It's not an easy decision."

_I don't fit in anywhere_, Clow thought gloomily. _I know_...

"Now, what nonsense is that?" asked the Hat. "The problem is very different, my boy. You could fit in _everywhere_. You have a will to learn, you're not afraid of hard work, you certainly have a bit of courage... But you have talent, most of all. Plenty of talent. The question is, what do you want to do with it? Do you have the will to make the most of it?"

Clow bit his lip. He thought of the Lis and the Reeds who thought he'd never live up to his potential, and of his parents looking proudly at him and wondering just how far would he go. He thought of all those ideas and dreams that he hadn't told anyone about, not even his parents. He thought of those blurry visions where he saw himself surrounded by wonderful things, things that he didn't recognize or even see clearly, but he knew they were _his_. He took a deep breath again, and made up his mind.

_Help me be great_, he thought.

"Ah, yes, I thought so," said the Hat. "You belong in SLYTHERIN!"

Clow stood up, still a little confused, and put the Hat back on the stool. He quickly reached the Slytherin table, where he sat next to the rest of the first years. Most of them still looked a little scared, and he wondered if he was one of them, too. From the Ravenclaw table, Uric waved at him and smiled.

He grinned back, a bit embarrassed. That was quite a strange boy – but he was nice, and Clow had a feeling that they'd get along well. His feelings were usually right about those things, too. The possibility of making a friend was encouraging, even if it wasn't someone from his House.

Curious, he looked around, taking in every detail of the Great Hall. It was easier to pay attention to what he saw, now that he wasn't nervous about the Sorting anymore. He decided he liked the place, in the end. Even the noise of all the students talking at the same time didn't seem to bother him as it had just a few minutes earlier.

Perhaps Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad after all.


End file.
